Black Magic

Well every now and then I like to try a new technique. Sometimes I try it without knowing what I am going to do with the artwork. This was such an excursion. So a couple of months ago - yes I did this that long ago, I decided to try black magic. It's really cool. Basically you stamp your image in Kraft White Ink on black cardstock. And then when the ink is dry you colour it using your watercolour pencils.

Now please take know that you MUST let your ink dry before handling and as it is pigment ink, it will take a little longer than usual. In the card above I was a tad impatient and ended up with a smudge on it. Hence the ribbon across the top to try and hide it. This ribbon was white. I used some Sage Shadow ink to take the starkness of it!

I used the reverse masking technique to create the moon in the card above. The oval in the card below was made using the normal masking technique.

So I actually made the stamped images a couple of months ago and they have been sitting patiently on my desk for me to mount and make them into cards. I will give you the ingredients for both cards at once as they are very similar.

Card: Whisper White, Sage Shadow, Soft Sky (retired), Night of Navy, Ballet Blue
Ink: Kraft White, Night of Navy
Ribbon: Whisper White 3/8" Taffeta
Punches: 1" Circle, Small Oval, Large Oval, Scallop Oval
Stamp sets:Lovely As A Tree, Warm Words

Till next time, happy stamping...

Manly card

Well hello again! I have been so busy making things that I have forgotten to blog for a few days. I had heaps of posts last month and this month may appear a bit quieter. But keep coming back because I will be posting a few items over the next week or so.

Have you always wondered how people keep coming up with such grand ideas? Or how they find other blogs? Well I am now in the Top 50 Cardmaking Blogs of Australia. How exciting is that? On my side bar I have a permanent icon that you can click on to take you to this fantastic one stop blog shop.

Anyway enough idle chit chat. I decided after ESAD Cyberstamp that I would try to use up my Garden Green supplies. Apparently it's not a favoured colour among the SU community! So I decided one day to see if I could use it in a card. I must admit, I was sceptical - but I love the results.

To make the tree, I stamped the image in a light colour and then used my chalks (yep, they've been out again) and coloured little circles of different shades of green over the leaves. I also used the chalks to colour the trunk. I then inked up my oak tree stamp with a darker colour and using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, I stamped on top of the original image. It gives a more realistic picture I think. This tree is a bit blurry to look at 'cause it's windy! lol!

This card was probably the easiest card to come together for me. Maybe I am a closet Garden Green lover! I know that I lurv Bravo Burgundy, so it's makes sense. Anyway you probably want the ingredients!

Card: Bravo Burgundy, Whisper White, Garden Green, Brilliant Blue, Close to Cocoa
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel
DSP: Pattern Pack II (hostess gift)
Punches: Scallop Oval, Large Oval, Small Oval
Ribbon: Linen Thread
Embellishments: Metallic Eyelets (non-SU)

Okay on a final note, I have been loving the comments on my blog. It inspires me to create more for you! This is my 99th post, so the next one will be the magical 100 and I may have some blog candy for you! Keep your eyes peeled!

Till next time, happy stamping...

Cyberstamp Christmas Challenge

So things have been plodding along nicely for me last weekend. I was slowly getting through all the projects. I had made it my personal challenge to try join in EVERY challenge for the weekend. And boy, did I achieve a lot!

Tanya Kitto was in charge of the Christmas card challenge. She decided to ask us to make a Christmas card without using a stamp set designed for Christmas. Although we were allowed to use the greetings from a Christmas stamp set.




I love the Lovely As A Tree stamp set and haven't really had an opportunity to make all the things that I want to with it. I had been meaning to try this shadow look for a little while, so I thought this was a perfect time to try it out. I had to have a couple of goes before I got it right. I didn't have a tutorial or anything, so had to work through this on my own. Finally I came up with the look I was after.

Card: Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Riding Hood Red
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Night of Navy, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White
Punches: 1" Circle, 1/2" Circle
Tools: Heat Gun, Clear Embossing Powder, Sponges
Stamp Sets: Lovely As A Tree, Snow Swirled

Till next time, happy stamping...

Twisted Christmas

Again I have decided to try and make a card for Marelle's July Christmas challenge. This time I haven't cased the card and have made it up all by myself.


Of course, this didn't turn out as I expected. I was planning on doing a night time christmas tree, but the background stamp ended up looking like snow instead of stars.

I don't seem to be posting as regularly as I would like. I am still making cards and doing workshops and the like, but either it's for my secret sister or you've seen it all before. I will try and make some more new creations soon for you.

Card: Whisper White, Ballet Blue, Sage Shadow, Riding Hood Red
Ink: Sage Shadow, Versamark, Ballet Blue, Not Quite Navy, Blue Bayou (retired)
Tools: Clear embossing powder, Dazzling Diamonds, Heat Tool, Embossing Buddy, Brayer, Sponge Daubers
Punch: 1" circle
Stamp sets: Lovely As A Tree, Itty Bitty Backgrounds (retired), Snow Swirled

Till next time, Happy stamping

Waiting for Christmas

I came across this little beauty on Leonie Schroder's blog and just had to give it a try. Unfortunately I had to wait until I got my Stamp-a-ma-jig, so I could get the placement perfect. I had heard great things about the Stamp-a-ma-jig, but never seen it in action. I was a wee sceptical, but I am hooked. You can even stamp your image onto the image sheet and move it around on your artwork to find the best place for it. Also helps with all those stamps that I have put together, just that little bit off centre. My work is going to be taken to the next level with this new tool.

Card: Whisper White, Real Red
DSP: Haiku
Ink: Real Red, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Wild Wasabi (retired)
Stampin Pastels: Real Red, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Sage Shadow
Ribbon: 3/8" Riding Hood Red Taffeta
Punch: Large Oval
Stamp Sets: Window Dressing (hostess set), Lovely as a Tree, Best Yet (hostess set)